Lubricator



A. BRAY LUBRICATOR Filed Nov. 18. 1948 April 22, 1952 `ceptacle l engaged by the connection t.

Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRICATOR Arthur Bray, Sacramento, Calif. Appli-canon November 1s, 194s, serial No. 60,654

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a pressure-discharge lubricator of the pressure-gun charging type having a self-contained grease chamber or reservoir,

An object of the invention is the provision of a lubricator of the class described which is automatically operative to maintain a supply of lubricant at the point of use in a particularly simple and effective manner.

A more specific object" of the invention is the provision of an improved lubricator having a discharge piston operative in its reservoir in a particularly efficient manner.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following desorption of a typical embodiment thereof and in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a partly sectional elevation of an operatively mounted lubricator embodying my features of invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the lubricator of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the present form of my lubricator comprises a pressure fitting 4 of the usual Check valve type; an adaptor 5 in the form of a T fitting having a female threaded inlet connection receiving the fitting 4 and male threaded connections 6 and 8; and a grease re- Figure 1 illustrates a typical application wherein the lubricator assembly is shown as supportedly installed on a bearing cap B by means of its connection 8 for feeding grease to a journal J through a greasing duct provided by the cap.

The receptacle 1 is of hollow cylindrical form having an end Wall 9 drilled and tapped to receive the connection 6 of the adaptor 5. The head or open end of the receptacle bore is preferably counterbored to slidably receive a cylindrical head plug I0 which is formed with a concentric spring-centering boss Il extending from its inner face. A diametrical groove I2, cut in and across the outer face ofthe plug I0 is adapted to receive a cotter pin I3, which, passing through aligned holes I4 in the tubular Wall of the receptacle 1 adjacent the open end thereof,

serves to secure the plug for its ready removal if cleaning of the receptacle cavity is required. A centrally located aperture I5 through the plug I 0 serves as a vent to prevent an air lock in the top of the cavity 1 of the receptacle.

A cylindrical plunger I 6 having a concentric spring-locating boss I1 on its upper side, and complementary to the boss II, is slidably and closely engaged as a floating piston in the cylinder' bore of the receptacle 7. A pin I8, passing diametrically through and from the `plunger I6 is adapted to have its projecting ends slidably and closely engage a pair of equi-pitched helical cylinder grooves I9 of relatively large lead, whereby a rotary motion is arranged to be im: parted to the plunger I6 during and by reason of reciprocative movements thereof. A helical compression spring 20, which is centered bythe opposing head and plunger bosses II and I1 in spaced relation from the side of the cavity 'l' exerts a continuous resilient pressure acting to urge the plunger I6 toward the connection end of the receptacle l, for the expulsion of lubricant from the receptacle enel to the associated bear'- ing, the plunger assembly so tting the receptacle bore that little lubricant, if any, may escape along the plunger by reason of the spring-prof vided pressure therein. For a reason hereinafter brought out, the lubricant-contacting face 2| of the plunger I6 is preferably of concave form.

Lubricant grease is supplied to the lubricator in the usual manner by means of a pressure gun (not shown) applied to the Valved tting 4. Grease entering the adaptor 5 flows from its passage through the connections 8 and 6 to respectively form a lubricant iilm around the journal J and to enter the reservoir chamber 1'. The charging pressure, overcoming the rifelative-v ly weaker action of the spring 20, urges the plunger I5 toward the head end of the chamber 1, allowing the reservoir-charging entry of the grease into the chamber cavity until the plug boss Il engages the head boss II. As the lm of lubricant around the journal J becomes depleted during service, the spring-pressed plunger I6 forces more lubricant through the adaptor and into the bearing, thus automatically insuring an adquate bearing lubrication as long as the chamber cavity l contains grease; the present lubricator is, of course, rechargeable while in use.

With particular reference to the grease-discharging action of the plunger I6, it is important to note that the turning action of the plunger as it follows the lead of the helical grooves I9, aided by the concave shape of its grease-contacting end face 2|, insures a complete and effective discharge of the chambers contents by progressively breaking the adhesion of the grease to the chamber bore by a scraping action of the leading rim of the plunger against the grease at the bore face. It is also to be noted that the present arrangement having the ends of the pin I8 guidedly engaged by the sides of the grooves I9 broadly comprises a high-pitched threaded engagement of the plunger in the chamber bore, and may be so considered and referred to.

From the foregoing description, taken in conneet-ion with accompanying drawings, the advantages of the present lubricatorwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While I have described the principle of operation, together with an arrangement Which I now consider to be a preferred embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the showings are primarily illustrative, and that such changes and developments may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a lubricator, a receptacle providing a cylindrical chamber having a common intake and discharge opening for a lubricant at one end,- a head member removably xedat the other end of the chamber and providing a spring seat directed toward the rst end of the chamber, a free plunger reciprocable in said chamber in direct threaded engagement with its side, and a helical compression spring constantly operative between said spring seat and the plunger, for moving the plunger toward the opening, the threaded engagement of the plunger and the chamber side being operative for rotating the plunger by reason of its longitudinal movement in the chamber.

2. In a lubricator of the character described, a receptacle providing a cylindrical chamber having a common intake and discharge opening for a lubricant at one end, an axially imperforate free plunger reciprocable in said chamber 'in direct threaded and sealed relation to its side and arranged to receive a charge of lubricant between it and said opening, and means constantly operative against the plunger to urge it toward said opening, the threaded engagement of the plunger and chamber side being operative to rotate the plunger about its axis solely by reason of its movement in the chamber under the influence of said means.

3. In a constant-feed lubricator unit, a'receptacle providing a cylindrical chamber arranged for a lubricant intake and discharge at the same end thereof, a plunger reciprocable in said chamber in direct threaded engagement with the side of the chamber bore for its rotation by reason of its longitudinal movement in the chamber bore, and a spring means constantly and yieldingly reactive between the plunger and receptacle to urge a lubricant-ejecting movement of the plunger in the chamber bore. l

4. VA structure in accordance with claim 3 having the threaded engagement of the plunger with the cylinder provided by a helical groove in the chamber side complementarily and slidably receiving a radial projection of the plunger while the balance of the chamber side closely receives the plunger.

5. A structure in accordance with claim 3 having the threaded engagement of the plunger with the cylinder provided by a plurality of relatively high-pitch helical grooves in the chamber side complementarily and simultaneously receiving radial projections of the plunger in sliding engagement therewith.

ARTHUR BRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,292,692 Boyer Jan. 28, 1919 1,685,404 Johnson Sept. 25, 1928 

